Nov 8th - Gorgeous Day to be with Friends!!!!!

Brrrrrrr!  Remember the song, Baby it's cold outside?  That's how the morning started - so extra thank you to Susie for having the room opened and the first chill off.

Later on the day was absolutely heavenly with the sun shining so bright.

This was the meeting where the finished 4-patches we had started the exchange for at the 

May 5, 2016   (click and see info, scroll down toward the end of that blog)

meeting, was put on display and a winner chosen.  There were 7 brought in and on display here (Esther's was in pictures as she had already given hers away.)

Fifteen (15) of us exchanged blocks and 11 went a step farther and made it a deadline challenge.  Course now - the deadline was changed a time or two.  hahaha

Morning was full of work and catching up.

Janet was working on finishing a binding, Susie was working on an applique project.  Lisa was sewing down her binding on a UFO project.

Machelle was embroidering, Esther finding out what Vevia was working on (embroidery)

Carol twilling

Deb was working on embroidery.

You had to be there to know what these 3 were laughing about.

Machelle was so intent on her embroidery, that she put her "whole self" into it.

Extraction was bloodless.

Lisa had gotten three judges from the coffee group next door:

Dorothy, Nancy and Janet (not sure if I got them in the right order).

This was an anonymous "runway" for the judges and since I do not want to goof up who's is whose, it's still anonymous.

  Enjoy the show and the different ways each put theirs together.

And the winner is - Janet.  What a wonderful quilt.  Can you pick out your blocks?

Congratulations Janet.  Hear tell she is going to buy more fabric with her prize.

After the judging, it was back to work.

Lorraine was working on getting her top in perfect shape to give to Susie to quilt.  

Before lunch we had Show 'n Tell

Lisa finished her "Evening Star" and has decided that she will donate it to the family that had the fire in Clifton.  What a gorgeous quilt.  This was the Piotique Quilters Guild workshop where we learned how to tell if a fabric was directional or not.  Results were surprising.

Our community service quilt top is finished and off to Susie for quilting.  Deb has volunteered to bind it when it is finished and we all agreed a dark binding is in order.

Machelle has finished her daughter's quilt.  Took her longer as she quilted it on her domestic machine

and did an awesome job.

Deb showed off her third and final Moana quilt.  Click here to see what this movie was all about.

Susie's big fish fabric made a great back.

I finished my father's quilt.

I had Ann Houtchens quilt the label right into the back.

Also finished my daughter-in-laws table runner for the Christmas holidays.  They had gotten a new dining room table and needed to customize a runner in size and shape.

Dorothy surprised us after lunch by inviting us over to her house to see her

SCHERENSCHITTE  !!!!  Say that twice fast.  

Click here to read the history.

Dorothy gives a new Scherenschitte work each Christmas to her 3 daughters and 2 daughter-in-laws.

In the picture frames are a variety of works that she has kept for her own viewing pleasure.

Isn't this fabulous?

Click on the pictures and have them come in larger so that you can see the tiny "lines" in the designs.

Dorothy had several patterns and books on the table and walked us through the process.

Click here to see a quick demo of the process.

Interested in more?  Click here to see where you can buy books on Amazon, or click on this picture so you can read where this catalog came from.

Thank you so much Dorothy for inviting us into your home to see your work.  It was awesome.

Okay - next month - are you ready for a great potluck?

Here is what Machelle has on her list so far:

Vevia—meat

Janet—dessert

Lisa—vegetable—or two

Deb-BBQ meatballs

Esther—? GF  If she gets to come

Carol—rolls

Lorraine—veg

Leila—dessert

Susie—plates etc. and probably something soft

Machelle—I’m thinking of 7 layer taco dip and something else

If your name is not on here, please let Machelle know what you plan on bringing, or let her know if you change your plans.  We've never had an all dessert potluck yet - but who knows? hahahahahaha

Have a safe and very blessed THANKSGIVING!

See you in December!!!!

Visitors - Visitors - Visitors - What a wonderful get together on this rainy day!

It may have been pouring down rain in some areas - however, that did not stop our gathering, nor the wonderful guests that attended.

Barb was visiting from California and brought many items for Show 'n Tell

and I think quite a few stories of what all has been going on with her and her family.

Jan was able to join us from Manhattan.  That was a long drive, though not much rain till she hit Broughton Road.

Juanita was able to take the day off and join us,

and boy were we blessed with her coming - she brought fresh baked homemade peach pieS.  Yep, TWO!  Along with ice cream.  She also brought along her new project for wool.

Susie is getting another one of her wool blocks done

Sharing of information is one of the best reasons to get together.

And then there is the Rail Fence Community Quilt.

Deb and Pat are re-arranging some blocks that are too close in color to each other.

No it is not narrower on the bottom, it's overlapping some.  My straight down the wall took a gentle curve.  ha ha

God Bless Deb - 128 rail fence blocks not only sewn together, but squared up.  That was a total welcoming surprise for us.  They were able to get right into sewing the blocks together.  I made the 30 setting triangles.  My job was a heck of a lot quicker. 

Deb and Machelle worked their fingers off putting these blocks together in rows.

Look, see Donnis?!  Machelle went into Clay Center and picked Donnis up, even in the rain.  She and  Lorraine helped us make sure we were not turning the blocks the wrong way.  Susie was on ironing duty.

Time flies and before long, lunch.  We had so many wonderful fixings to choose from.  Forgive me if I forget some.  Egg salad, sliced pork, sandwich fixings of lettuce, cheese, meat and tomatoes with different breads.  Ham salad, shrimp salad, bruschetta, broccoli salad, popcorn, cookies, pies, jello - did I leave anything out?  It was a fantastic meal - and more than enough for who ever should drop by for a visit.  Did I mention the peach pies and ice cream?  hahahahahaha

Thank you everyone for such a great lunch.

Almost too full to enjoy Show 'n Tell - almost, I said.

Donnis does not have a large area to sew in; however, her daughter Jan makes sure that mom has fabric cut and ready to sew together.  Donnis made this rail fence especially to show case the fabric that Esther had given her last year at her birthday.  It is the green and ecru with the darker highlights, under the dark green strips.

Jan also had some blocks cut up so that Donnis could make another great-grandbaby  quilt.

Love those jungle animals.  Jan will get the tops sandwiched and quilted for Donnis.

Lorraine has made 5 quilts so far this year.  This red, white and blue one may be her last for that color scheme - think she said she has had it.  hahahahaha  Easy pattern to do, starting with a layer cake, and sure makes a bold statement.  The flannel backing is going to make it a real snuggle up quilt.

Deb had attended Barnes Junk-a-rama and picked up this hand sewn double wedding ring quilt with the idea to hand quilt it.  Now that she has seen some of the quilting that can be done in the larger negative space, she's not so sure.  Several different methods were discussed, including the big stitch.  There are just a couple of buckles here and there - Susie told her to spray starch and steam them into submission.  It is a wonderful find Deb, no matter what you decide to do with it.

Jan K's show and tell was HER.  ha ha  She is not going to thank me for this shot, but it does depict her personality - full of it.  So glad that you could come up Jan.

In California, you now have to buy the plastic bags at the stores for your purchases.  So Barb and her group of friends came up with these bags that fold up small and can be kept in your purse for shopping.

Barb made this purse for Susie.  Think I heard her say that she has made the next size down also.

You can't always get the kind of tea you want when you are out, so Barb and her group at a retreat, made these tea bag carriers.  Love the tea cups on the outside, and the inside has several pockets to hold different flavors of tea.

This cute little case, Barb is going to send the pattern to Susie for all of us, is perfect.  LOVE it!  It expands to hold quite a bit of hand sewing needs.  The fabric really made it also.

Barb's smaller group had purchased these sweat shirt jackets to wear when they are off and about together.  (remember, click on the picture and it will come in larger so you can read the saying)

As all the shirts were alike, Barb did some special hand work on the front of hers so that she would know which one was hers.  All those yo-yo's around the sewing machine really set it off.

I brought in this pillow to show Barb what the Apliquick tools can do.  Barb had seen what we were doing and bought herself a kit, so we took a few moments today and showed her the technique.  You can find quite a few you tube videos on how also.  Click here for a preview.

Machelle's friend has been having some heart trouble and has had to sit quietly for a very long time.  Being the smart friend that she is, she did not just sit, she did an awful lot of cross stitch.  Susie has just finished quilting them for her.

One of the blocks in the kit was damaged, so Machelle's friend made up her own block and used it to put her label on.  The date might have been when she started it.

Great pattern of cross stitching and good quilting on it Susie.

The next quilt caught us all with ooh's and aah's.

No, that is not lace in the corners - but it is sure gorgeous.

The far most corner pattern is called the double leviathan stitch in counted cross stitch, click here  to see how it can be done.  The other stitch is a variation on the fan or fir stitch, click here  or click here for the ray stitch.  What ever she used - she did an awesome job.  That rose is really beautiful in the way the pattern shaded and highlighted.

I can't always get the quilting design, this one came up pretty good on the back.  Lots of feathers there Susie.

After Show 'n Tell, some of the ladies had to leave us.  Sorry for them as Juanita got out her pattern and fabric from Sew Country and Sheila's block take on the Pony Express fabric.  

And ding bat me did not get a picture of the pattern.  I know it had a sod house type and a few buffalo's.    Looking forward to seeing it completed Juanita.

Can you believe it - this much is all sewn together on the Rail Fence Community Quilt.  Yeah!  Deb and Machelle!!!!  You ladies rock.  Over half done.  

I have all the pieces and the rows are all pinned together - thanks to Pat and Leila.

Next month - November 8th remember - bring your projects AND your four patch exchange items.

Be safe!